PINEVILLE — Pineville native and country music sensation Dale Ann Bradley was recently profiled by the Wall Street Journal in an article called “The Sisterhood of Bluegrass.” The article that ran on July 8 looks at the recent phenomenon of women taking band-leading roles in bluegrass bands, and the coincidence that three of the genres best known female names — Alison Brown, Missy Raines, and Bradley — are all releasing “distinctive” and “adventurous” CDs at the same time and on the same record label.

Bradley told the Journal that her latest CD “Don’t Turn Your Back” was “the record she’s always wanted to make.

“In years past, I wanted different sorts of melodies, lyric patterns and lyrics — but I always had people calling the shots, producers and others, concerned that maybe it wouldn't fit the bluegrass mold,” Bradley told the Journal. “But this is one time that we can make that mold a little bit bigger — smelt it down and stretch it out! The arrangements and chord progressions are a little different from what your run-of-the-mill bluegrass musician knows; they're not in Bill Monroe form. So everybody who I've got with me now can handle that."

Bradley’s new CD features an eclectic mix of songs, including covers of the Carter family tune “Fifty Miles of Elbow Room”, Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down” and Fleetwood Mac’s “Over My Head.” The album also features songs that she’s co-written.

Bradley also released a music video for her title track “Don’t Turn Your Back” which was shot in Cumberland Gap and Pineville. The video features landmarks like Webb’s Country Kitchen, the train tunnel and the water mill in Cumberland Gap, as well as many others.

On June 16, the video debuted at #2 on the CMT Pure Country 12-Pack Countdown. "Don’t Turn Your Back" was written by Louisa Branscomb and directed by Matt Zervos.

Staff writer Stephen Woodward may be contacted at swoodward@middlesborodailynews.